Popular Opinion The Best Feel-Good Movies

List Rules Vote up the escapist, uplifting films that leave you feeling happiest.

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Want to feel warm and fuzzy inside? This is a ranked list of the best feel-good movies that make us experience all the good feelings. This feel good list includes sports movies, romantic movies, and family movies. What is the best feel-good movie? These are the movies that have the ability to make us feel. They make us want to believe, be inspired, and live vicariously through the stories we see on screen. Whenever you are feeling down, you can simply watch one of these movies and it will make you happy.

This list of feel-good movies includes such titles as Rudy, It’s a Wonderful Life, Big, and Cool Runnings. These movies vary in their genre but they all have the ability to lift our spirits no matter how many times we’ve viewed them. If you are sad, feeling sick, or just looking for a film to get lost in, these titles from the list of the best feel good movies are what you should be watching.

Whether it’s cheering on the underdog, living a fanciful life in another country, or are just completely silly, these films provide something for viewers to enjoy and aspire to. If you’re looking for “the greatest feel-good movie ever” you can find it on this list.

list ordered by

1

4,623 3,373

looksharp added Back to the FutureMichael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson Back to the Future is a 1985 American comic science fiction film. It was directed by Robert Zemeckis, written by Zemeckis and Bob Gale, produced by Steven Spielberg, and stars Michael J. Fox, ...more

2

5,138 3,169

The Shawshank RedemptionMorgan Freeman, Rita Hayworth, Tim Robbins The Shawshank Redemption is a 1994 American drama film written and directed by Frank Darabont and starring Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman. Adapted from the Stephen King novella Rita Hayworth and ...more

3

7,147 3,254

but chickens double d added Forrest GumpTom Hanks, Kurt Russell, Sally Field Forrest Gump is a 1994 American epic romantic-comedy-drama film based on the 1986 novel of the same name by Winston Groom. The film was directed by Robert Zemeckis and stars Tom Hanks, Robin ...more

4

5,069 3,494

sally added Home AloneMacaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, John Candy Home Alone is a 1990 American Christmas family comedy film written and produced by John Hughes and directed by Chris Columbus. The film stars Macaulay Culkin as Kevin McCallister, a boy who is ...more

5

3,143 2,145

The Princess BrideBilly Crystal, Robin Wright, André the Giant The Princess Bride is a 1987 American romantic comedy fantasy adventure film directed and co-produced by Rob Reiner. It was adapted by William Goldman from his 1973 novel of the same name. The ...more

6

2,419 2,058

BigTom Hanks, Jon Lovitz, Elizabeth Perkins Big is a 1988 American fantasy comedy film directed by Penny Marshall, and stars Tom Hanks as Josh Baskin, a young boy who makes a wish "to be big" and is then aged to adulthood ...more

7

4,056 1,911

Finding NemoEllen DeGeneres, Willem Dafoe, Eric Bana Finding Nemo is a 2003 American computer-animated comedy-drama adventure film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. Written and directed by Andrew Stanton, it ...more

8

4,809 2,433

but chickens double d added UpChristopher Plummer, Ed Asner, Laraine Newman Up is a 2009 American 3D computer-animated adventure comedy-drama film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. Directed by Pete Docter, the film centers on an ...more

9

4,667 2,370

looksharp added The IncrediblesSamuel L. Jackson, Holly Hunter, Jason Lee The Incredibles is a 2004 American computer-animated comedy superhero film written and directed by Brad Bird and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It was the sixth film produced by Pixar ...more

10

2,612 1,708

TobuscusHolmes added Star WarsHarrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill Star Wars is a 1977 American epic space opera film written and directed by George Lucas. The first release in the Star Wars franchise, it stars Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Peter ...more

11

784 207

goonygugu added The Blind SideSandra Bullock, Lily Collins, Kathy Bates The Blind Side is a 2009 American semi-biographical sports drama film. It was written and directed by John Lee Hancock, and based on the 2006 book The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game by Michael ...more

12

3,794 2,095

Mrs. DoubtfireRobin Williams, Pierce Brosnan, Sally Field Mrs. Doubtfire is a 1993 American comedy film, starring Robin Williams and Sally Field and based on the novel Alias Madame Doubtfire by Anne Fine. It was directed by Chris Columbus and ...more

14

2,358 1,339

but chickens double d added Good Will HuntingBen Affleck, Robin Williams, Matt Damon Good Will Hunting is a 1997 American drama film directed by Gus Van Sant, and starring Matt Damon, Robin Williams, Ben Affleck, Minnie Driver and Stellan Skarsgård. Written by Affleck and ...more

15

2,292 1,536

thomasashraf added The Karate KidElisabeth Shue, Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita The Karate Kid is a 1984 American martial arts romantic drama film directed by John G. Avildsen and written by Robert Mark Kamen, starring Ralph Macchio, who was 22 years old during principal ...more

16

1,593 860

but chickens double d added Remember the TitansHayden Panettiere, Ryan Gosling, Denzel Washington Remember the Titans is a 2000 American sports drama film produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Boaz Yakin. The screenplay, written by Gregory Allen Howard, is based on the true story of ...more

17

1,825 1,259

looksharp added GhostbustersBill Murray, Sigourney Weaver, Dan Aykroyd Ghostbusters is a 1984 American sci-fi-fantasy comedy film, directed and produced by Ivan Reitman and written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. The film stars Bill Murray, Aykroyd, and Ramis as ...more

18

2,299 1,270

but chickens double d added The Lord of the Rings film trilogy The Lord of the Rings is a film series consisting of three epic fantasy adventure films directed by Peter Jackson. They are based on the novel The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien. The ...more

19

3,839 1,623

but chickens double d added RatatouillePeter O'Toole, Janeane Garofalo, Will Arnett Ratatouille is a 2007 American computer-animated comedy film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It is the eighth film produced by Pixar, and was co-written ...more

20

3,121 1,660

but chickens double d added WALL-ESigourney Weaver, Laraine Newman, Kathy Najimy WALL-E is a 2008 American computer-animated science-fiction comedy film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. Directed by Andrew Stanton, the story follows a ...more

21

3,385 1,454

but chickens double d added Toy StoryTom Hanks, Tim Allen, Don Rickles Toy Story is a 1995 American computer-animated buddy-comedy adventure film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. Directed by John Lasseter, Toy Story was the ...more

22

1,762 930

The HelpEmma Stone, Jessica Chastain, Bryce Dallas Howard The Help is a 2011 American period drama film directed and written by Tate Taylor, and adapted from Kathryn Stockett's 2009 novel of the same name. Featuring an ensemble cast, the film is about ...more

23

3,159 1,736

ElfZooey Deschanel, Will Ferrell, Peter Dinklage Elf is a 2003 American Christmas comedy film directed by Jon Favreau and written by David Berenbaum. It stars Will Ferrell, James Caan, Bob Newhart, Ed Asner, and Zooey Deschanel. It was ...more

24

3,513 1,960

The Breakfast ClubJudd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall The Breakfast Club is a 1985 American coming-of-age comedy-drama film written, produced, and directed by John Hughes and starring Emilio Estevez, Paul Gleason, Anthony Michael Hall, John ...more

25

2,014 1,388

thomasashraf added Groundhog DayBill Murray, Andie MacDowell, Michael Shannon Groundhog Day is a 1993 American fantasy comedy film directed by Harold Ramis, starring Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell, and Chris Elliott. It was written by Ramis and Danny Rubin, based on a story ...more

not on the list? add item #330

List Rules: Vote up the escapist, uplifting films that leave you feeling happiest.